Manila (AsiaNews) –— More than a thousand Filipino youth are expected to come to Sydney for World Youth Day (WYD) in July. About 20 young people from Hong Kong will join them. Overall an estimated 500,000 youth should come from around the world.
Fr Rey Domingo, an official at the Ministry for Youth Affairs of the Manila Archdiocese, told AsiaNews that their office is getting many applications for WYD but they are screening the applications.
According to WYD organisers, around 180 youth groups are expected to arrive in Australia from 15 to 20 July 2008
The Philippine Consul General to Sydney Maria Theresa Lazaro has already discussed with the Filipino Chaplain at the Archdiocese of Sydney the ongoing preparations in anticipation of the arrival of Filipino pilgrims and priests.
The consul general also met with the Bishop Joel Baylon, chair of the Episcopal Commission on Youth (ECY), during her recent working visit to the Philippines.
The ECY is the arm of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines that coordinates the World Youth Day preparations for Filipino pilgrims to Sydney.